Rudy Gobert is preparing for a ‘strange’ return to Utah with the Timberwolves, as the former Jazz big man will face off against his old team for the first time on Friday night after playing there
Rudy Gobert will visit the Utah Jazz as an opposing player for the first time in his career Friday night, and is expecting ‘a lot of emotion’ as he faces his former team.
Gobert spent the first nine years of his career in Utah but was traded in the offseason to the Timberwolves for a package including four first-round picks, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt and rookie Walker Kessler.
Now the starting center for Minnesota, Gobert will be an opponent in the area where he became a three-time Defensive Player of the Year.
Rudy Gobert is averaging 13.3 points and 11.9 rebounds for the Timberwolves this season
‘There will probably be a lot of emotions, but I just want to enjoy the moment and get a win,’ he told ESPN.
‘I spent nine years of my life there and created a lot of memories, had a lot of very strong relationships with people I loved and gave me a lot of love over the years.
‘It will be strange to go to the arena and go to the visitors’ locker room, but it will probably be a lot of love and a lot of joy to come back.’
Most of Gobert’s time in Utah was spent at the top of the Western Conference standings, as the team made the postseason in his final six years there and finished as the first seed in 2020-21.
But Gobert and the Jazz didn’t make it past the second round of the playoffs, as their pairing with Donovan Mitchell continued to fall short.
The two reportedly had a sometimes frosty relationship, with an article from The Athletic in 2020 citing a source who said the situation ‘doesn’t look salvageable.’
Donovan Mitchell and Gobert achieved success in the regular season but fell short in the playoffs
Mitchell is now thriving with the Cleveland Cavaliers – third in the Eastern Conference – while Gobert and Minnesota are currently 11th in the West with a 12-12 record.
And while Gobert is focused on getting a win on Friday, it will certainly be hard for him to ignore the importance of the matchup.
‘Now I’m in a different place, but that doesn’t change the human side of it. When I say that, I think it’s bigger than basketball. I gave my soul to this team, this city, this organization, my blood, sweat and tears, [and] there are few things beyond the business of basketball.
‘That’s why I [thought] we are here forever. Now, I’m in a new place with a chance to achieve great things, and I’ll always be grateful for those nine years in Utah.’
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